Growing up in the suburbs of Oklahoma McKenzie was a part of a classical guitar ensemble at an arts-focused public high school. At home, she would write original songs over arpeggios she learned in guitar class and uploaded her original songs and covers on YouTube. She was determined to trade the great plains for a more populated skyline. After receiving a scholarship to Pratt Institute for visual web programming, McKenzie moved to Brooklyn, New York in 2013.
Between classes, McKenzie wrote music as a form of catharsis from rigid school assignments. During the second semester, she showed a classmate some of the songs she had been making and her classmate introduced her to several electronic music producers on Soundcloud, lent her a midi keyboard, and encouraged her to buy a real microphone. Her first released on Soundcloud, ‘Starchild’ (prod. by melodrama) received 100,000 plays in 24 hours.
Mothica is an alter ego that isn’t afraid of honesty even if it means showing weakness. Her distinct raspy yet honey-soaked voice is not one of vocal training, but of heartfelt emotion. Her storytelling writing style and unexpected melodies have set her apart in an music scene that is overrun with sameness. She lends her voice to many genres via collaborations, bringing electronic elements to life with the emotions she shares.
McKenzie desired the skill to produce her own instrumentals, so she learned Ableton and released an entirely self-produced EP called Mythic in 2013. Her somber song about self-empowerment, “No One” reached No. 6 on the US Viral Spotify Charts. The collaboration and record label requests came pouring in but she carefully hand selected her music partners and released the smash "Clear" with Canadian producer Pusher. The song currently sits at 12 million plays on Spotify put her on the radar for everyone from Spotify execs to VSCO to Teen Vogue.
Turning down every record label offer, Mothica remained independent and began performing around New York. She performed her first show solo, and it was completely sold out. She finished up a second solo EP called Heavy Heart about her experience with depression. She continues to grow into her writing style while collaborating with the likes of Tennyson, Crywolf, Said The Sky, and Electric Mantis.
Like her music, Mothica's live show continues to evolve. Playing from coast to coast with several headlining shows, 2017 saw the first iteration of a live music experience for Mothica with three additional band members interpreting lively versions of the songs her fans know best.
She started out 2018 with one million monthly Spotify listeners anticipating the upcoming release of two EP's throughout the calendar year. On Valentine’s Day, she will release her next single, Lovetalk, accompanied by a music video and is planning a late April US tour.
Scared
mothica Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh oh
I'm not scared, I'm just
Not prepared for what
You're trying to do
And I'm not scared of you
Or what you put me through
For the last time
I'm not gonna sit here and waste my time
You better make up your mind
I know I set myself up for
What you did and how I felt before
I don't need to compromise
I feel you in the room tonight
Turn me into someone I don't like
Don't want to wake you up
But someone needs to shake you up
Tell you not to force my love tonight
I'm not scared, I'm just
Not prepared for what
You're trying to do
And I'm not scared of you
Or what you put me through
I won't call you mine
For the last time
I'm not gonna sit here and waste my time
You better make up your mind
I know I set myself up for
What you did and how I felt before
I don't need to compromise
I feel you in the room tonight
Turn me into someone I don't like
Don't want to wake you up
But someone needs to shake you up
Tell you not to force my love tonight
Oh oh
Oh oh
The song "Scared" by Mothica is a deep reflection on a tumultuous relationship. The lyrics express an intense emotional struggle with the fear of being hurt yet again, and the desire to maintain control and agency in a toxic relationship. The opening lines ("Oh oh, oh oh") are soft and melodic and set the tone for the emotional vulnerability that follows.
The lyrics describe the singer's feelings of being prepared for what their partner is trying to do, yet simultaneously feeling conflicted and apprehensive about the situation. The chorus, "I'm not scared, I'm just not prepared for what you're trying to do," highlights the underlying fear of being hurt again. Meanwhile, the line, "But I won't call you mine for the last time," is a reference to the singer's struggle to let go of the relationship despite their lack of trust in their partner.
The song speaks to the experience of trying to navigate a difficult situation, without allowing oneself to be controlled or manipulated. It captures the singer's determination to not compromise on their values and self-worth, while also expressing the hope that their partner will eventually "make up [their] mind" and stop forcing their love.
Overall, "Scared" is an emotionally charged song that speaks to the complexity of love and relationships. It's a powerful expression of the struggle to assert oneself in the face of toxicity and the fear of being hurt again.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not scared, I'm just
I am not afraid, but I am hesitant
Not prepared for what
I am not ready for what you are doing
You're trying to do
You are attempting to do something
And I'm not scared of you
I am not afraid of you
Or what you put me through
I am not afraid of what you have done to me
But I won't call you mine
I will not claim you as my own
For the last time
This will be the final time
I'm not gonna sit here and waste my time
I will not remain here and waste my time
You better make up your mind
You need to make a decision
I know I set myself up for
I understand that I put myself in a vulnerable position
What you did and how I felt before
I know what you did to me and how it made me feel before
I don't need to compromise
I do not need to settle or give in to your demands
I feel you in the room tonight
I sense your presence in the room tonight
Turn me into someone I don't like
You are making me become someone I do not want to be
Don't want to wake you up
I do not want to disturb you
But someone needs to shake you up
However, someone needs to wake you up
Tell you not to force my love tonight
And tell you to not take advantage of my feelings
Contributed by Leo I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@StoopidMonkiy
this was my top played song on spottily for 2017
@a.m.l949
Love your art mothica.
Thank you for being you, cause you inspire me to open up and give me courage to accept rejection with open arms, dignity for myself came up late.
@thefirstcurse3123
This track was great
@azura5017
Are you the one season 4 Epi 9 - fight aftermath